17/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Cloudy
Min temp: 15°C
Max temp: 18°C
Rainfall: 33mm
07:30 Reports
08:00 Load shedding from Eskom
08:10 Went up to the lodge to see if everything was still fine there.
09:20 Went to ryefield, saw 11 Waterbuck standing just on the edge of the field in the long grass. The male was with them.
09:30 Went to the 2 ponds near the main gate, saw 3 x Warthogs and a family of Yellow billed ducks. Have not seen the White Faced Ducks there for a while now.
10:10 As I drove back I saw a group of Bachelor Impala, it looks like the Impala is starting to form their different territories now, which means rutting season is starting.
11:00 Went to tugela river and I saw 4 Mountain Reedbuck on the side of the hill. The tugela river is flowing strongly now after all the rain this weekend.
12:05 Drove up to the pond at the foot of the mountain, saw a big Kudu bull on the way, browsing on a Acacia Karoo.
12:20 Near the pond on the side of the hill I saw 2 more Mountain Reedbuck. They were probably coming down to have a drink. Mountain Reedbuck always stay close to water.
12:30 Drove to the back where I put the cochineal on the prickly pears to see how things are progressing, the cochineal are spreading nicely all over the leaves. Hopefully in a few weeks they would have spread all over the plant
13:20 I took a walk around the area and I saw that some of the prickly pears already have some cochineal growing on them, which is a good sign that the plants are being targeted by cochineal.
14:35 As I drove back I saw that the Mountain Reedbuck have moved from their original location, where they were joined by two other.
15:00 Got home and helped Mandla and Michael with their reports and we had a meeting on how their training went. They have some nice ideas and proposals that we can implement here on UmPhafa, not just for monitoring the rhino but also for the rest of the game.
16:30 Finished the meeting and will submit their report on Wednesday.
18/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Cloudy
Min temp: 15°C
Max temp: 18°C
Rainfall: 7mm
06:45 Pick up staff at Farm Market because Mike took his vehicle for a service
07:30 Took staff to fence to continue to put up electric fence
08:30 Got back to the office to do reports and e-mails.
11:20 Went to the back to put cochineal on 2 more prickly pears, forgot to take the GPS with, but will take coordinates tomorrow.
13:20 Contacted FGSA about the one book that they still owe us, they will come back to me.
13:45 Worked in the office for the rest of the time going over fact files and photo’s.
15:45 Went to pick up staff at the fence.
16:30 Took staff to farm market
17:30 Home.
19/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 16°C
Max temp: 25°C
07:30 Reports with Michael and Mandla
08:00 Load shedding from Telkom
08:10 Took Mandla and the two new guards to Geluk
10:00 Went to lodge to check if everything was still fine. Went to the dam near the lodge to see the water level- level has risen after all the rain we had so far. Saw lots of tracks their ( Mountain Reedbuck, Impala, Kudu, Giraffe and Jackal, Zebra)
12:00 Went to the back to walk around and see if I can find historical sites and graves, so far did not find any, but I will continue to look for them and take pictures and GPR locations.
13:45 Came back to the house to do some office work. Worked on the fact files and brought the bird sheet up to date.
14:40 Helped Michael with his report on Weenen Game Reserve and the Rhino training
15:40 Went to switch on the electric fence, so that we can see if there is any faults on the fence we put up so far.
16:30 Home.
20/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 16°C
Max temp: 25°C
07:30 Reports
08:00 Went up the mountain with Mike to drop the staff at the fence to continue fencing.
10:00 Got back down from the mountain
10:10 Got a call from Michael the head game guard that one of the female Giraffes is lying on her side and cant stand up. She was lying on a hill near the pond at the foot of the mountain.
10:20 Got there, then I saw it was Speedy, the giraffe without horns. We kept her head up and kept her cool with water while we waited for more people to help us put on her in a upright position I gave her some stressnil to keep her calm, but she just could not hold on, she was too weak. She died just as the people arrived.
12:45 We examined her and found nothing unusual, other than a bleeding nose and mouth, we suspect that she must have slipped on the rocks or got a fright and started running and then slipped and fell then hit her head on the ground or a rock. Giraffes are prone to broken legs and head injuries due to falling over rocks or slipping on wet soil.
14:00 We left her there and will monitor the carcass to see what scavengers and carrion eaters it will attract.
15:05 Left to go and pick up the staff on top of the mountain.
16:30 Took staff to Farm Market
17:20 Home.
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Monday, 17 March 2008
Weekly Report 10th - 14th March 2008
10/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 21°C
Max temp: 32°C
06:45 Left to pick up staff
07:45 Took staff to the fence to put up electrics.
09:00 On the way back I found a Prickly Pear with the cochineal insect that was not put on by us. That means there are some of the cochineal already on the farm.
10:30 Came back to the office to do e-mails and paper work.
14:00 M+R builders came to fix the roof, we had a meeting and a final look at what must be done.
14:45 Took them up to the lodge to get a quote on fixing bedroom 2 bathroom roof.
15:30 Went to open the gate fro them and on the way I saw 7 x Waterbuck standing on the ryefield, 1 male, 4 females and 2 babies.
16:00 Went to look for more locations to release the cochineal.
16:30 Went to one of the neighboring farms to pick up a small Woodland Dormouse, so that we can release it on the farm. They found it in one of the mattresses of one of their lodges.
17:35 Home.
11/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 20°C
Max temp: 30°C
07:30 Report and e-mail
08:30 Did fact file till 09:45
09:45 Barry came to erect the mast for the radio, helped him get sorted to go up the mountain.
10:30 The builders from M+R Builders came, went over everything, and they got started on fixing the roof.
12:00 Fetched the tractor and water cart from Geluk to take water up to the site where the tower for the radios are to mix cement.
12:45 Left to take water up the mountain, halfway up I got stuck with the tractor and water cart. The tractor couldn’t get a grip on the loose soil halfway up and started to slide backwards. I had to turn to avoid going over the edge; luckily it jackknifed at came to a halt.
13:55 Mike showed up and he got the tractor down, it took till 15:30 to get it down, then he left to go to check on fencing progress.
16:00 Drove back with tractor after we unhitched the water cart. Came to house check on progress roof, they stripped the roof are busy replacing all the rotten wood over the washing room.
12/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 21°C
Max temp: 31°C
Rainfall: 3½mm
06:45 Left for Ladysmith to get the AFTW Vehicle’s central locking fixed.
10:15 Got back home, let the builders in to carry on fixing the roof.
11:00 Went up to the mountain to check on progress putting up the tower.
12:00 Took photo’s of the building process. Came back down to fetch cement and sand.
13:00 Spent the rest of the day up the mountain helping mixing cement and laying the foundation of the tower.
18:00 Finished laying foundation, now we have to wait 8-9 days for cement to set and dry before putting up the mast.
18:45 Took Game guards back to town.
19:30 Home.
13/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Cloudy
Min temp: 21°C
Max temp: 24°C
Rainfall: 3mm
07:30 Did report – Started to rain.
09:00 Took staff to fence to carry on putting on the electric fence
10:00 Went up the mountain to fetch the tractor and trailer and water cart.
12:00 Back down from mountain.
12:30 – 16:30 Office – Worked on the fact file for the rest of the day because it started to rain.
14/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Cloudy
Min temp: 19°C
Max temp: 23°C
07:30 Reports
08:30 Went to the back o look for prickly pears and to see how the cochineal is doing on those the prickly pears.
09:30 Got to the plants, cochineal is spreading nicely.
10:30 Walked around the area for a bit, saw some other prickly pears with cochineal on them, which means there are cochineal there already attacking the pears.
11:30 Drove to the Ryefield to check on animals like Zebra and Impala and Waterbuck, couldn’t see any of them as it was cloudy and cold. They probably took shelter under the trees and bushes.
12:15 Saw a Martial Eagle in the sky above the ryefield.
13:25 Drove to fence to see how the fencing was progressing.
14:00 Left for Weenan to go pick up Michael and Mandla
15:00 Got them at the Office of Weenan Game Reserve, they were very happy to have gone there and have learned so much during their stay.
16:00 Dropped them in Colenso.
16:30 Picked staff up at farm and took them to Farm Market.
17:30 Home.
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 21°C
Max temp: 32°C
06:45 Left to pick up staff
07:45 Took staff to the fence to put up electrics.
09:00 On the way back I found a Prickly Pear with the cochineal insect that was not put on by us. That means there are some of the cochineal already on the farm.
10:30 Came back to the office to do e-mails and paper work.
14:00 M+R builders came to fix the roof, we had a meeting and a final look at what must be done.
14:45 Took them up to the lodge to get a quote on fixing bedroom 2 bathroom roof.
15:30 Went to open the gate fro them and on the way I saw 7 x Waterbuck standing on the ryefield, 1 male, 4 females and 2 babies.
16:00 Went to look for more locations to release the cochineal.
16:30 Went to one of the neighboring farms to pick up a small Woodland Dormouse, so that we can release it on the farm. They found it in one of the mattresses of one of their lodges.
17:35 Home.
11/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 20°C
Max temp: 30°C
07:30 Report and e-mail
08:30 Did fact file till 09:45
09:45 Barry came to erect the mast for the radio, helped him get sorted to go up the mountain.
10:30 The builders from M+R Builders came, went over everything, and they got started on fixing the roof.
12:00 Fetched the tractor and water cart from Geluk to take water up to the site where the tower for the radios are to mix cement.
12:45 Left to take water up the mountain, halfway up I got stuck with the tractor and water cart. The tractor couldn’t get a grip on the loose soil halfway up and started to slide backwards. I had to turn to avoid going over the edge; luckily it jackknifed at came to a halt.
13:55 Mike showed up and he got the tractor down, it took till 15:30 to get it down, then he left to go to check on fencing progress.
16:00 Drove back with tractor after we unhitched the water cart. Came to house check on progress roof, they stripped the roof are busy replacing all the rotten wood over the washing room.
12/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Sunny
Min temp: 21°C
Max temp: 31°C
Rainfall: 3½mm
06:45 Left for Ladysmith to get the AFTW Vehicle’s central locking fixed.
10:15 Got back home, let the builders in to carry on fixing the roof.
11:00 Went up to the mountain to check on progress putting up the tower.
12:00 Took photo’s of the building process. Came back down to fetch cement and sand.
13:00 Spent the rest of the day up the mountain helping mixing cement and laying the foundation of the tower.
18:00 Finished laying foundation, now we have to wait 8-9 days for cement to set and dry before putting up the mast.
18:45 Took Game guards back to town.
19:30 Home.
13/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Cloudy
Min temp: 21°C
Max temp: 24°C
Rainfall: 3mm
07:30 Did report – Started to rain.
09:00 Took staff to fence to carry on putting on the electric fence
10:00 Went up the mountain to fetch the tractor and trailer and water cart.
12:00 Back down from mountain.
12:30 – 16:30 Office – Worked on the fact file for the rest of the day because it started to rain.
14/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Cloudy
Min temp: 19°C
Max temp: 23°C
07:30 Reports
08:30 Went to the back o look for prickly pears and to see how the cochineal is doing on those the prickly pears.
09:30 Got to the plants, cochineal is spreading nicely.
10:30 Walked around the area for a bit, saw some other prickly pears with cochineal on them, which means there are cochineal there already attacking the pears.
11:30 Drove to the Ryefield to check on animals like Zebra and Impala and Waterbuck, couldn’t see any of them as it was cloudy and cold. They probably took shelter under the trees and bushes.
12:15 Saw a Martial Eagle in the sky above the ryefield.
13:25 Drove to fence to see how the fencing was progressing.
14:00 Left for Weenan to go pick up Michael and Mandla
15:00 Got them at the Office of Weenan Game Reserve, they were very happy to have gone there and have learned so much during their stay.
16:00 Dropped them in Colenso.
16:30 Picked staff up at farm and took them to Farm Market.
17:30 Home.
Tuesday, 11 March 2008
6th to 7th March 2008
06/03/2008
Weather: Cloudy
Min temp: 20°C
Max temp: 34°C
Rainfall: 22mm
07:30 Reports and office work
11:00 Off load all the tools and equipment I got from Pretoria
12:00 Meeting with Ryan Brudvig in connection with the Bio Control on Prickly pears and Lantan
13:30 Followed up on the repairing of the Elworthy house. Will start Monday.
14:00 Went to help Mike with the electric fence.
16:30 Took staff back
16:45 Between Geluk and Cloustens near Tugela river I saw a group of Vervet Monkeys in the road, and as fate will have it I left the camera at home. Have not seen them in a while, it was a bit dry and warm these couple of weeks, they must be getting more food and water at the river, so I think I will see them more often near the Tugela river.
17:15 Home.
06/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Cloudy/Sunny
Min temp: 21°C
Max temp: 34°C
07:45 Took staff to the back of Mount Sully where they continue to put up the electrics for the fence.
08:55 Along the way I identified a few spots where the Prickly Pears are so that I can release the Cochineal bugs on them.
09:30 Got to the office and worked on the animal fact file and did yesterdays Report.
11:30 Left to go look for the monkeys and take some photos and GPS locations.
13:00 Went to the back where they are fencing, going up the mountain to the places where I found some Prickly Pears earlier, so that I can release the cochineal insects on them. Put the cochineal on 2 separate plants that I will be monitoring for the weeks to come.(S28°43.235-E29°39.222)
16:30 Home.
Weather: Cloudy
Min temp: 20°C
Max temp: 34°C
Rainfall: 22mm
07:30 Reports and office work
11:00 Off load all the tools and equipment I got from Pretoria
12:00 Meeting with Ryan Brudvig in connection with the Bio Control on Prickly pears and Lantan
13:30 Followed up on the repairing of the Elworthy house. Will start Monday.
14:00 Went to help Mike with the electric fence.
16:30 Took staff back
16:45 Between Geluk and Cloustens near Tugela river I saw a group of Vervet Monkeys in the road, and as fate will have it I left the camera at home. Have not seen them in a while, it was a bit dry and warm these couple of weeks, they must be getting more food and water at the river, so I think I will see them more often near the Tugela river.
17:15 Home.
06/03/2008
Time Area and details of animal Weather: Cloudy/Sunny
Min temp: 21°C
Max temp: 34°C
07:45 Took staff to the back of Mount Sully where they continue to put up the electrics for the fence.
08:55 Along the way I identified a few spots where the Prickly Pears are so that I can release the Cochineal bugs on them.
09:30 Got to the office and worked on the animal fact file and did yesterdays Report.
11:30 Left to go look for the monkeys and take some photos and GPS locations.
13:00 Went to the back where they are fencing, going up the mountain to the places where I found some Prickly Pears earlier, so that I can release the cochineal insects on them. Put the cochineal on 2 separate plants that I will be monitoring for the weeks to come.(S28°43.235-E29°39.222)
16:30 Home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)